The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-29
And Decline to Accept Persia's Emphatic As
surances that She Was Not Implicated in
the Pretender's Secret Departure.
Serious Disorder in the City of Havana
and General Uprising Imminent.
Mr.. Blaine Finds the Pace of Social Life in
London Too Fast for Him-Emperor Will
iams Health-General News by Cable.
Belief that His Escape Was the Result of a
Rus


LONDON, Aug. 27.-The escape of Ayoub
Khan from his confinement within the Persian
boundaries is suspected in official circles to have
been arranged between Russia and Persia at the
very moment of the com pietion Of the settle
ment of the Afghan frontier question. Secret
negotiations with the Shah's government open
ing the road to Ayoub's flight, it is implicitly
believed, were in progress long before it was de-
termined by Russia to bring the Afghan affair to
end, and the government refuses to accept
Persa's assurances that she was not implicated
in the Afghan pretenders departure England
paid Persia $4,000 annually to keep Ayoub
prisoner, and undoubtedly Russia offered much
mora than that for his ,pe. If Ayoub
succeeds in reaching Herat, here IA has
large personal interest, and is all-powerinl.
formidable uprising is certain, that will likely
sweep the Ameer from his throne, Ayoub
placing him as Russias nominee
1t is reported from Quetta that the Northern
Ghilzais have rebelied in the Kitawaz and Sar-
dez districts and taken the field under Sudar
Mohammed Moor. the Khan vino lately escaped
from India The Ameer's soldiers at Cabul are
passive but inclined to mutiny, and if Ayoub
Khan. the pretender to the throne, crosses the
frontier from Persia they will join his standard.
Ayoub Khan. the only son of the late Ameer
Shere Ali with the exception of the dethroued
Yacubl, has been detained in Teheran since the
end of 1880 at ehe request and at the cost of the
Indian government but he has now made his
cape. apparently with the assistance OF Russia
to which country he is said to be making his
way. He has long been an inveterate opponent
of British influence. He is a brave and skillful
general and after failing. when he was Governor
of Herat on the deposition of his brother, to at
tract the favorable attention of the Brissh Of
fcials at Candahar rs A candidate for the throne
of Cabul, he attacked General Burrows July
az al
brigade composed of 600 English and 2. 100 Bonn
bay troops. He then laid siege to Candahar
aud main tanned the effort until he Was defeated
under the walls of that city by General Roberts,
after march of 800 miles from Cabul in
twenty days. On his defeat he slew with his
own hand at least one English artillery officer
who had been taken prisoner at Maiwand, and
carried the head away with him when he retired
rapidly on Herat. After further fighting
he there deserted by his infantry, that
he had to fly into Persia. 1t has been known
for a long time that he would be instrument
in the hands of Russia whenever one was needed
to break up the existing condition OF things n
Afehanlstan. and it is suspected that he has. in
spite of rumors, gone to take the lead OF the
Ghilzais, who have been in rebellion against the
Ameer. He may also be counting on the success
sion to the throne in of :he death of A b.
durrahman, whom the British placed at Cabul
in 1880. and who IS said to be dying of gan
creme. In any case. his ''escape" at the present
juncture is Of exceeding i'll omen for England
and India.
Either Ayub intends to attack Herat, which
aims at the thorny crown of Cabul. In either
case his grudges against the British power will
make him a persistent. as he is assuredly for
midable enemy. Ii he Eerat he will
have the whole weight of the formidable GhilZai
tribe to aid his Herati levies in assalling Canda
bar, which is virtually indefensible. But the
Indian government will not tolerate the occupa-
tion of Candahar by any one but a pledged
friend, and it seems ost probable that it will
send troops over the Khoja Amran range. close
to which it's advanced cantonments stand and
near TO which its railway from the Indies is
completed. for the purpose OF protecting the
great trading city in a fertile belt which would
form An admirable base of a advance India
But il England sends force to Canahar. Russia
is pledged to occupy Herat, and once there the
Cars troops are not likely to leave It, In
deed so certain has the occupation of Herat by
the Russians been deemed at the India Office in
London that the only question of late has been,
What could be done by the Indian govern
ment in such an event" There is no doubt that
the partition of Afghanstan between Great
Britain and Russia would then be a question
for negotiation ONLY and the theory of "a buffer
state would receive its finishing blow. The
two empires would be face to face. solution
which General SIX obeeff suggested nine years
ago the only having any elements of per-
manence. But England has always shrunk from
it for obvious reasons. among which the question
of the cost of keeping a large army on the from
tier is perhaps the most effective.
Ayub is now only thirty six years of age and
his name is tower of strength among the fierce
and turbulent Afghans of all the tribes except
the comparatively peaceful Durans. His
character is best illustrated by the fact that
when he was only twenty years old he took the
field against his father in favor OF his brother
But he cast off all allegiance to the latter when
Yacub by the treaty of Gandamuk ceded to the
British the passes by which Cabul can be ap-
preached from Peshawur For five years at
least it has only been question of opportunity
and advantage when he would again show him
self in Afghanistac. In the Judgment of ms
Russian friends the time has apparently come
just the British we're pluming themselves
having amically settled the great boundary
question from the Oxus to the Persian frontier,
and it cannot be denied that the incident arises
moment of all others the most awkward for
the British government, beses as it is with mum
berless difficulties at home and abroad.